Valve-motion.



PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

J. H. WILLIAMS.

VALVE MOTION. APPLICATION FILED 213.10, 1906.

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PATENTED FEB. 26, 190'7.

' I. II. WILLIAMS.

VALVE MOTION.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 1o, 190s.

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No. 845,154.v PATENTED FER-26, 1907.

' J. H. WILLIAMS.

VALVE MOTION.

yAPPLICATION FILED 211.10, 1906.

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JOHN II. WILLIAMS, or NEW LONDON, IOWA.

VALVE-MOTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application led February 10, 1906. Serial No. 300,463.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. VILLIAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at New London, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Valve- Motion, of which the following is a specii'ication.

This invention relates to valves and valvegear for steam or other engines operated by fluid under pressure.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for the better control of the steam and to secure an operation of the valve somewhat similar in its effects to the Corliss valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve and valve mechanism whereby the cylinder-ports may be instantly opened and the steam allowed to pass under boilerpressure to the cylinder; and, further, to provide for the cutting off of the steam at any desired point, so that the steam may be used expansively throughout any desired portion of the stroke.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a valve-operating mechanism in which the usual eccentrics, links, and the like are dispensed with and friction is reduced to a minimum.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a valve-operating mechanism which may be quickly adjusted for the purpose of varying the point of cut-off or for reversing the engine.

Vithv these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing anyA of the advantages of the invention.-

In the accompanying drawings,`Figure 1 is a side elevation of a valve-gear and aseotional view of a cylinder and steam-chest arranged and constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being shown in the position .assumed at the completion of the forward stroke of the piston. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position assumed by the parts at the completion of the back stroke of the piston. Fig. 3 is a plan view, the steam-chest being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the position of the parts after a partial movement from the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sec.- tional elevation similar to Fig. l, showing the preferred construction, in which the connections are simplified. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a portion Of the same,

Similar numerals of reference are em.- ployed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the draw: ings.

The engine illustrated comprises `a base ,or bed plate 10, cylinder 11, a steam-.chest 12, and a crank-shaft 13, connected in the usual manner to the piston 14.

Leading between the ends of the cylinder and the steam-chest are ports 15 and 16, terminating at a valve-seat on which is mounted a slide-valve 17. In the valve-seat are formed ports 18 and 19, that are in communi: cation with an exhaust-port 20, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, and the valve is so are ranged that when live steam is entering through the port 15 or the port 16 to the cyl.- inder the exhaust-steam is escaping from the opposite end of the cylinder, the slide-valve 17 being provided with a port 20, which moves to place the ports 15 and 1S or the ports 16 and 19 in communication with each other.

In addition to the exhaust-port 20 the slide-valve has two steam-inlet ports 21 and 22, extending directly through the valve, the port 21 moving into alinement with the port 15 to permit the passage of steam to one end of theylinder, while the port 22 is moved into alinement with the port 16 to permit the passage of steam to the opposite end of the cylinoer. i

Above the valve 17 is a cut-oif valve 23, which operates in the manner hereinafter described to close the ports 21 and 22 shortly after the latter have moved into alinement with the cylinder-ports, and the operation of the cut-off valve may be adjusted in order to vary the point of cut-OH in accordance with the speed and load of the engine. The exact Operation of the valve will be more clearly understood from the detail description of the valve-operating mechanism.

Mounted on the shaft 13 and free for ad.- justment circumferentially of the shaft is a plate 30, carrying two studs 31 and 32, on

axes of the studs 46 and 48. As a resultv of which are mounted gears 33 and 34, respectively. Keyed to the shaft is agear 35, that is in mesh with the gears 33 and 34, and the gears are all of precisely the same diameter and have the same number of teeth.

The base plate or other fixed portion of the frame is provided with blocks 37, forming bearings for the support of a rock-shaft 38, and sail shaft carries two rocker-arms 40 and 41, the rocker-arm 41 being of greater length than the rocker-arm 40 and being connected by a link 42 to the stem 43 of the slide-valve 17. At the upper end of the shorter rcckerarm 40 is a stud 43, that is approximately in the horizontal plane of the axis of the shaft 13, and 'on said stud is pivoted a lever 44, the two arms of which are cf equal length.. The upper arm of the lever 44 is connected by a link 45 to a stud 46 on the gear 33, and the lower arm of the lever is connected by a link 47 to a stud 48 on the gear 34. The studs 46 and 48 always occupy precisely the same relation to the axes of their respective gears, and as the studs are each at the same radial distance from the center of rotation of the gears the links 45 and 47 will be maintained 1n parallel relation throughout the whole rotative movements of the gears, and as a result the lever 44 will remain constantly in parallel relation with a line intersecting the this lever 44 will be carried toward and from the crank-shaft as the gears 33 and 34 rotate, and this movement will be imparted through the stud 43 to the rocker-arm 40, and the rock-shaft 38 will be oscillated, and this movement will be transmitted through the rocker-arm 44 to the rockerarm 41 and link 42 to the valve-stem 43, elfectin reciprocatory movement of the slide-va ve 17.

The parts are so proportioned that the reciprocatory movement of the valve 17 will bring the port 21 into alinement with the port 15 and the exhaust-port 20 into communication with the ports 16 and 19, and then as the crank-shaft rotates in the` direction indicated by the arrow and the parts move to the position shown in Fig. 2 the port 22 is moved into -alinement with the cylinder-port 16, and the port 20 places the ports 15 and 18 in communication with each other.

The top of the plate 30 is connected by a rod 50 to a reversing-lever 51, movable overa quadrant 52 and provided with a lockingbolt 53 of the usual type for engagement, with notches 54 and 55 in the quadrant. When in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the parts are adjusted for operation of the crankshaft in the direction indicated by the arrow but should it be desired to reverse the movement the lever 51 is pushed over until the locking-bolt enters the notch 55. This movement 1s transmitted through the rod 50 to the plate 30, and as a result the two gears 33 and 34 are carried around the gear 35, and it may be assumed for the present purpose that the gear 35 is stationary. As a result of this the gears 33 and 34 will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, and the links 45 and 47 will be carried up and around past the vertical planes of the studs 31 and 32, and valve 17 will be pulled in the direction of the crank-shaft until the port 21 is well to the front cr crank-shaft ena of the port 15, and as the movement ofthe crankshaft continues in the first direction the studs 46 and 48 travel down toward the horizontal planes of the gear-carrying studs 31 32 and as a result bring the port 22 of the valve into alinement with the inlet-port 16, thus admittinor steam to the opposite end of the cylinder, and at the same time the port 20 places the ports 15 and 18 in communication with each other to exhaust the steam which previously entered through the port 15, and the movement of the engine is reversed.

In the operation ofthe cut-off valve a mechanism similar to that employed for the Slidevalve is used.

Un the crank-shaft 13 is mounted a plate 60, that is free for adjustment circumferentially of the shaft. This plate carries two studs 61 and 62, on which are mounted gearwheels 63 and 64, that mesh with a gearwheel 65, firmly secured to and rotating with the crank-shaft 13. All of the gears 63 64 65 are of precisely the same diameter and have the same number of teeth.

In the blocks or other supports 37 are arranged bearings for the reception of a rockshaft 66. This rock-shaft 66 is provided with a pair of rocker-arms 67 and 68, the arms 68 being much longer than the arm 674 and being connected by a link 69 to the stem 7() of the cut-ofi' valve 23. At the upper end of the arm 67 is a stud 71, the axis of which is approximately in the horizontal plane of the axis of the crank-shaft 13, and on this stud is mounted a lever 72, having two arms of equal length. The upper arm is connected by a link 73 to a stud 74 on the gear 63, and the lower arm of the lever is connected by a link 75 to a stud 76 on the gear 64. The two studs 74 and 76 are arranged atthe saine radial distance from the centers of rotation of their respective gears and maintain 'fixed relations with respect to each other, and as the distance between the studs-74 and 76 is equal to the length of the lever 72 said lever 72 will be maintained in parallelism with a plane crossing the axes of said studs 74 and 76.

As the gears 63 and 64 are revolved bythe shaft-carried gear 65, the studs 74 and 76 will be carried around and the lever 72 will be moved to and fro and will transmit movement to the stud 71. This movement Will rock the arm 67, and the movement will be transmitted to the shaft 66, which in turn IOC IIC

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rocks the arm 68, and the movement of the arm 68 is transmitted through the link 69 to the stem 7 0 of the cut-off valve.

The function of the eut-off valve is to close the ports 21 and 22 immediately after the latter nave opened to allow steam to flow into the cylinder, and the movement of said cuto'liC valve may be hastened or retarded in accordance with the quantity of boiler-pressure steam to be admitted to the cylinder, so that the piston may be actuated under direct 'pressure for any desired portion of its stroke.

It will be observed on reference to Figs. 1 and 4 that the relation of the studs 37 and 48 of the slide-valve with respect to the studs 74 and 76 of the eut-ofl` valve are such that the parts moving in the direction indicated by the arrow, the cut-off valve has moved to place the port 21 in communication with the port 15; but this movement is not quite complete and will not be completed until the studs 46 and 4S have moved up to the horizontal planes of the axes of their carrying-gears, and this will result in moving the port 21 slightly beyond the port 15', as shown, for instance, in Fig. 4,- where the movement is partly completed. At the same time the studs 7 4 and 76 have passed beyond the horizontal planes of the axes of their carrying-gears, and their tendency is to mo ve the cut-off valve quickly toward the crank-shaft and cut offv the flow of steam, and the operation of this valve may be controlled in order to cut ofl' at different points, as hereinafter described. After the cut-off valve has moved over the port 21 the two valves continue to move in the same direction-fi. e., toward the crankshaft-until the valve 21 is again moved to the crankshaft side of the port 15, and then the cut-ofi' 4valve moves in the opposite direction to be in position to cut ofi` the How of steam through the port 22 at the opposite end of the slidevalve.

The upper end of the plate is connected by a rod 80 to a lever Sl, that is movable over a notched quadrant S2, and the lever carries a lock-bolt S3 of the usual type, which may enter any of the notches in order to lock the lever in adjusted position. The notches are divided into two sets, as will be observed on reference to Fig. l, those to the left being arranged for the reception of the locking-bolt while the engine is moving in the direction indicated by the arrow; but when the reversing-lever 51 of the slide-valve is moved to the notch 55 the lever 81 can be moved to the right, and the locking-bolt S3 may then be adjusted to enter any one of the series of notches to the right of the quadrant 82.

The function of the several sets of notches is to lock the lever in such position as to control the time of operation of the cut-off valve, and b v moving said lever the plate 6() will be rocked, with the shaft 13 as an axis, in one direction or the other, and it being assumed that the gear is stationary the two gears 63 and 64 will be moved to a greater or less angular distance and will carry the lstuds 74 and 76 forward or backward and will alter the position of the cut-off 'valve with respect to the slide-valve. In this way the operation of the eut-off valve may be accurately timed,

In Figs. 5 and 6 is illustrated the pre ferred form of mechanism in which the construction is somewhat simplified by the omission ofthe rock-shafts 33 and 66 and the levers carried thereby. In this construction the levers 44 and 74 are connected directly to the valve-operating rods 43 and 70', respectively, and the lower ends of the valverods are extended and mounted in suitable guides 90 in order that the fulcrumpoints of the levers and valve-rods may be maintained in the horizontal frame of the main shaft. This avoids the necessity of the employment of the rock-shafts and the levers or arirs carried thereby. In the construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the several studs 31, 32, 61, and 62 are in the form of shafts that extend through suitable bearing openings fornted in the tiltable plates and are provided with crank-arns 92, in which radial slots 93 are forned, and these slots 93 carry adjustable crank-pins 94 for connection with the transmitting members leading to the levers 44 and 72. The slotted crankarrrspermit of ready adjustment of the stroke of the valve.

With valves and valve-operating mechanism constructed as described the ports may be opened to allow the immediate passage of boiler-pressure to the cjflinder, and the outoff may' be accomplished very quickly, the operation being practically the same as that effected by a Corliss valve. The valve-operating mechanism is such that the function is reduced to a minimum, and the reversal of the engine or the adjustment of the operattion of the valves may be effected with ease.

I claiml. The combination with a steam-engine, of a revoluble shaft, a gear on said shaft, a pair of gears arranged on opposite sides of the shaft and with which said shaft-carried gear interrneshes, a lever mounted in parallel relation with the axes of the pair of gears, studs carried by the pair of gears and disposed, also, in parallel relation with the lever, means connecting the studs to the ends of the lever, a valve, and means for transmitting movement from said lever to the valve.

2. The combination in a valve-gear, of a shaft, a gear ncounted thereon, a pair of gears interneshing with the shaft-carried gear and provided with pivot pins or studs occupying the same relative positions with respect to the axes of their gears, a pivotally- IOO IIO

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mounted lever to Which said studs are connected, a valve, and means for transmitting movement from the lever to the valve.

3. In a valve-gear, a revoluble shaft, agear carried thereby, a pair of gears arranged at diametrically opposite points With respect to the shaft-carried gear and intermeshing therewith, pivot pins or studs carried by the pair of gears and occupying the same relative positions With respect to the axes of said gears, a lever, means for connecting the same to said studs, a rock-shaft, a pair of rocker-arms carried by' the shaft, one of said rocker-arms forming a support for the lever, and a valve to which the second rocker-arm is connected.

4. In a valve-gear, the combination With a shaft, of a gear carried thereby, a plate or similar support adjustable circumferentially to the shaft, a pair of gears supported by the plate and intermeshing With the shaft-carried gears, crank pins or studs carried by the pair of gears and intermeshing with the shaftcarried gears, a valve, mechanism connecting said valve to the crank-pins or studs, and means for adjusting said plate or support to effect movement of said crank pins or studs, and the adjustment of the valve.

5. In a valve-gear, the combination with a shaft, of a gear carried thereby, a plate or similar support adjustable circumferentially of the shaft, a pair of gears supported by said plate and intermeshing with the shaft-carried gear, crank pins or studs on the pairs of gears, a lever disposed in parallel relation With i a line connecting the axes of said crank pins or studs, links connecting the pins or studs to the lever, a valve, means for transmitting movement from the lever to the valve, and means for adjusting said plate or support, whereby the pair of gears may be revolved to adjust the position of the valve.

6. In a valve-gear, the combination With a slide-valve and a cut-off valve, of a shaft, a pair of gears carried by the shaft, two sets of valve-operating gears each including a pair of gears in mesh with one of the shaft-carried gears, carrying-plates for the pair of gears, independent means for adjusting said plates, crank pins or studs on the pair of gears, and means for transmitting movement from said crank pins or studs to the valves.

7. In valve-gear, a slide-valve, a main shaft-gear, a pairs of gears arranged on either side of the main shaft-gear and intermeshing therewith, shafts carrying said pair of gears, slotted crank-arms on the shafts, adjustable crank-pins supported by the arms, levers maintained in parallelism With the axes of the shafts, rods extending from said levers to the crank pins, and means for connecting said levers to the valve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN H. WILLIAMS.4

Witnesses z GEO. A. BRITTON,

E. S. KNICKERBACKER. 

